Cardinals, Royals Donating to Joplin Tornado Relief Efforts

MISSOURI - The St. Louis Cardinals and Kansas City Royals are donating $25,000 each toward the Joplin tornado relief efforts, and fans attending Springfield Cardinals games this week can help, too.

Busch Stadium's front office, in conjunction with Springfield general manager Matt Gifford, made the announcement shortly after 8 p.m. today that the Cardinals will donate $25,000 to the Convoy of Hope's tornado relief efforts in Joplin.

The Royals also will donate $25,000 to help with relief efforts there, with the front office to partner with Olathe, Kan.-based Heart to Heart International.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Joplin in the wake of this terrible tragedy," Cardinals chairman Bill DeWitt said in a news release.

The Springfield Cardinals also will collect fan donations at the Hammons Field gates this week and have a formal check presentation to representatives of Convoy of Hope shortly before the 7:07 p.m. game Friday.

The Double-A Cardinals open a six-game homestand beginning at 7:07 p.m. Wednesday, with the Corpus Christi Hooks in town for three games followed by the San Antonio Missions.

Convoy of Hope, a Missouri-based disaster relief agency that has a world distribution Center in Springfield, was one of the first agencies to provide emergency assistance to the people of Joplin.

Fans can make a secure online donation to Convoy of Hope at www.convoyofhope.org or make a $10 text donation by texting the word CONVOY to 50555. Standard message and data rates apply.